Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Hello everyone! I hope you all are doing well. Thank you for your visit. The newest sketch is up on the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog and it's a fun one by Janice.

Our sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps - everyone knows these images and Jodi's distinctive artist flair! I love these images. I flipped the sketch so that I can use the Make it Snappy Thank You image. It also comes with a blank box so you can add your own sentiment which is what I did.

I used some really fun papers - I love the base decorative paper. This dark teal was a lot of fun to pair with the bits of gold foil paper. I colored the above with Copics but the BG01 marker I was using dried up! Ack!! I printed 4 images and already had my other elements ready to create 4 cards. So I needed to change it up a little.

So the 3 you see here (there's actually 4) top one colored with Copics (card above), the middle card I kept the flowers white and only highlighted with a super light (B000) Copic and the bottom card I colored with my Tombow markers. I still prefer the top card, but the middle card - which I made 2 of is my next favorite.

On a personal note Brendan arrived in Japan safely and we've been able to video chat twice.

Have a great day! We'll see you over at the TMS blog - be sure to leave my team some big love!

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Hi All! Thanks for stopping by my blog. I wish I had a spectacular card to share with you! There is, however, a spectacular sketch up and ready for you to play with on the TMS blog.

So I've been thinking about this card for a very long time and I couldn't get those thoughts to relay onto paper. I threw stuff away! Honestly, I think it's because my son leaves for his post overseas tomorrow so I've been wanting to spend all that I can with him.

So I got these great border dies from Papertrey Ink that I've been dying to use and this sketch was made for them! But, again, I couldn't get my ideas to relay to paper and then the lighting. Bleh! But I think overall, these will make great notecards to send to my patients.

My card also features a leafy scroll die from MFT and stamps from Papertrey Ink.

Okay, y'all - head on over to TMS to get some real inspiration from the design team - they ROCKED this sketch. I'm off to celebrate my birthday (yes, today's the day - ugh) with my kids.

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Hi everyone. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I appreciate your visit. The newest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's a really easy one. It was great for what I wanted to try. I shared last week that I splurged on myself and bought the My Hero Arts July'17 kit. So it's not really expensive - particularly for what all you get in the kit. It's quite a value! But because I spent the money I am making myself make a bunch of cards with it.

I've been watching videos on YouTube as I stumble across them that others are using this set. I found this one by Mary Polanco. She inspired me to make a scene with these stamps.

I stamped the images using VersaFine black onyx ink and then colored them with Zig Clean Color real brush markers and a water brush. Then I cut out an oval to mask off the center and used Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink. Then added some buttons that I literally was considering throwing away.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Hello! Thank you so much for your visit. This is the last week of our month anniversary celebration - the sketch is up and the theme is to use your stamps! That means no digital images or die cut focal images. The sweet Iliana at My Sweet Petunia agreed to help us celebrate is and giving away the choice of an Original MISTI or a Mini MISTI. This is one the highest valued prizes we've ever had available. I'm thrilled that Iliana agreed to sponsor.

So, I'm deeply disappointed that it has been overcast the last few days. I wanted to share a picture that really captured how beautiful this card turned out. Trust me, in real life, it's stunning even if I do say so myself.

I treated myself, even though I shouldn't have, to the July 2017 My Hero Arts kit. I can't garden worth a hoot so my only way to enjoy beautiful plants is either by looking at my neighbors gorgeous garden or stamping them. My card also features a sentiment stamp from Altenew, a die cut border from MFT Stamps and the stitched oval die is from CC Designs.

Let me also give credit where it's due. I did slightly CASE Tina at Cards and Coffee. If you go to this link, you'll see what I mean. I really only CASE'd the technique and the colors. I'm sure I'll be sharing more with you where you'll see a little of Tina's techniques and style influenced me.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Hello! Are you having as much fun as we are with our month long celebration? I sure hope so - the newest sketch is up and our theme this week is embellishments. How easy is that?

Here's my card....

My card features Scalloped A2 notecard (die) from Papertrey Ink, a leaf die from MFT Stamps, various pink and black washi tapes and sentiment/hearts stamps by Hero Arts. Talk about a quick card! It is white card stock - but with all the rain getting, this was the best I could do with what little sunshine was available.

Please be sure to head on over to the TMS blog - you'll be glad you did! We have a great prize and a whole lot of inspiration!

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Good Morning! Thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great week so far and you're ready to play along with us at Tuesday Morning Sketches. This week's sketch is up and our theme is Christmas in July.

My card features a beautiful medallion by Spellbinders, some red glitter paper and a garland cut from gold foil paper using another die by Spellbinders.

My card also features a sentiment stamp by Pink & Main and candy cane embossing folder. This was really easy to put together and I think pretty elegant.

We'll see you over at the TMS blog and be sure to visit the design team members - they deserve your love. Have a great day!

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Hello. So it has been a very long time that I've played along with other challenges. I found that I really kind of miss it. Sometimes.. most times my life is 2 things. Work and Tuesday Morning Sketches. Don't get me wrong - I love both and want to continuing doing both for a very long time.

I've talked about being a Card Angel and sending cards to a couple of patients that are traveling a very hard road dealing with cancer and treatments. I don't know a lot about them or where they are in their treatment. It's a one sided conversation. But because I do this I find that buy stamps to make sure that I continue to make pretty cards for them - to give them what I hope is a brief moment of happiness and joy with one of my cards. Is that vain or conceded or too proud to think my cards are that good? Not how I mean that at all. Anyway, so I recently purchased a couple of stamp sets with my 2 patients in mind.

I saw this fun technique on You Tube and it really inspired me to play along with Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday challenge #290 (combining stenciling and masking). I thought this would be so pretty to share with these ladies. As I was wrapping up these card an email popped in. The subject "sad news." One of my patients lost her battle with breast cancer. So one of my bright and cheery cards which didn't have a sentiment yet became a note card - I have to make a sympathy card for her family. I am deeply saddened by this - I didn't know her but I do know she left behind a little girl that is just 5 years old. As I write this post, I am grieving.

Here are the cards I made for my patients and for the challenge. I hope you like them and that you'll keep this little girl who lost her mommy in your thoughts.

This card features all Papertrey Ink products (except card stock). The die is called Noted Scallop A2, the stamps are from a set called Floral Sketches and the ink colors are Sweet Blush, Scarlet Jewel and New Leaf. The blue ink is Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass.

This second card features the same Noted Scallop A2 die, but the stamps are Build-A-Bouquet by MFT Stamps, Thinking of You sentiment by Hero Arts, the flowers are colored using Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers and the yellow background is Distress Ink - Scattered Straw and Mustard Seed.

Sorry the pictures aren't better - the house has way too shadows. Thank you for visiting.

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About Me

I am a mother of 3 amazing teenagers that keep me busy! In my spare time, I love to cook, read (I rarely watch TV), stamp and scrapbook. I've been a papercrafter for 17+ years and I love every minute of it. I decided I didn't have enough to do, so I also "own" a challenge blog, Tuesday Morning Sketches.
If you need to reach me, please feel free to email me at stampedbym@gmail.com

Copyright 2006-2016

All cards, scrapbook pages, photographs and text are owned by Melissa Craig. I have created the cards and pages with copyrighted material (Stampin' Up!, Stamping Bella, Penny Black, The Greeting Farm and many others) and are for personal use only. I share these ideas with you, you are free to CASE the cards but ask that you do not submit for contests or publication. Also, please give credit where credit is due. If you CASE something of mine, please tell others where you got the idea. Thanks!! Happy Stamping and inky hugs.